Following the publication by the Daily Observer  of a story about the sit-down strike at the airport improvement project site involving 200 workers, the Regional Head Office of MA Kharafi and Sons Ltd, has responded to the claims by the disgruntled workers.

During an interview with the Daily Observer at its regional office in Fajara, the area manager of MA Kharafi for West Africa, Mohamed Magatty, announced that the matter has been resolved amicably through dialogue, which took them two days.

Mohammed Magaty told the Daily Observer that it is the company’s policy for staff not to talk to the media, saying that comments on issues of such could only come from the regional office. He clarified that Hisham El-Mogy, who is the site manager of the project, is currently acting as the project manager, since the project manager, is on leave.

Mr Magaty described the Friday meeting as fruitful, confirming that workers have resumed work in earness. However, he disclosed that all the demands by the workers have been agreed  to, except the claim for a 20 per cent salary increase, which the workers saw as an entitlement following the announcement  of a 20 per cent salary increase for the civil servants across the board by His excellency the President.
 
The MA Kharafi regional chief Magaty explained that workers are not civil servants, noting that they are employed on contracts, with accompanying incentives and benefits.

Below is the full text of the disptach from MA Kharafi Regional Office.

The Banjul International Airport Improvement Project is under the jurisdiction of the Gambia Civil Aviation (GCAA) and therefore it is their mandate to plan the schedules for inbound and outbound flights, over which M.A. Al-Kharafi have not control.

Therefore, in order not to disrupt air traffic at this critical time of the tourist season, workers on the runway and associated sites has to be carried out around the flight schedules allocated.

As the air traffic is lighter on Tuesday, it was agreed between the workers and the Company that they would carry out work on Sunday and take Tuesday as their leave day.

Unfortunately, the absence of the workers on Sunday caused the company a huge loss as asphalt had been prepared in readiness for the work and subsequently was deemed unusable.

The 15 absent workers were sacked as a result of their absence and negligence even though they had agreed to attend work on that day. However, the company then agree to re-instate the said workers in good faith and also agreed to pay the workers two days pay for Sunday and Tuesday.

Regarding the comment on the daily wage, the workers are paid more than 50% of the minimum wage, plus overtime allowances.

In relation to compensation packages for injuries, it is company policy that injury forms are completed by the injured person and medical reports are also submitted to the company. Lack of submission of these forms and reports from the workers to the company will result in delay in compensation payments.

The company abides by the law in this respect and is fully insured to cover such medical instances. It is the cooperation of the workers that is failing in this respect.

The company provides all workers with hard hats, safety boots and all necessary safety equipment for use on the site. However, it has been noted that workers do not always bring their safety equipment to site. Once safety equipment has been issued, it is the responsibility of the workers to utilise the safety items issued to them. The company cannot take responsibility for any personal apathy or careless attitude towards the non-use of safety equipment.

Salary payments are made after 20 or 21 days before the end of the month by the company with the sole purpose of assisting the workers. Therefore 5 weeks can elapse before payment or alternatively 3 weeks can elapse. There are no complaints when pay day is early. However, due to the complaints of the workers, it has now been agreed that salaries will be paid at the end of each month. However, payment will take place on the 5th or 6th of  the following month in order that any overtime allowances can be calculated in a correct and proper manner.